Diamonds
by Sylvie Orp
Summary: Happy Easter to you all. For a bit of fun, see how many episode titles you can spot in this story.


"You must have a slush fund Mr Rahad."

"I used to," Mr Rahad admitted reluctantly. "That first night I tried to make contact with Ojuka. But he's not a very civil Civil Servant and told me to go to hell. I asked him to look after Annie and I left with as much dignity as I could muster. Then, later, I had a weekend in the country with some other contacts but, due to the private madness of Mickey Hamilton, who just turned up out of the blue, things got sticky. There was a stirring of dust; a purging in the ranks. If there had been a spy probe, they would have found a mole - me. So I tried to get out of there pretty damn quick. But then Lawson tried to be a bloody hero and made a last stand at close quarters and stormed out. Anyone would think he was trying to conquer Everest the way he carried on. Then a man called Quinn blundered in. He's known as 'the killer with a long arm' - aye, and a long memory too. The whole thing went belly up. So I made a blind run for my Embassy. As you can see, I didn't quite make it."

"Well," Mr Hollis said, "You have had an interesting time, but this is where the jungle ends. There's a foxhole on the roof if you need an emergency bolt hole till the heat cools off. There's never been a stake-out here. I have my spies."

"That's kind of you. I'll bear that in mind. But look what I discovered in a graveyard."

Mr Rahad produced a packet, still dirty with mud, from his pocket. He slowly unwrapped it to reveal a small handful of diamonds.

"So Mr Hamilton wasn't so mad after all," breathed Hollis, his eyes never leaving the twinkling gems. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me which graveyard you found them in, just in the public interest of course."

Mr Rahad smiled wolfishly. You couldn't teach this old dog new tricks. He rolled the stones appreciatively in his hands. "Just beautiful, aren't they?"

"It's only a beautiful picture, Mr Rahad. We have to find a buyer yet. But won't someone be missing these?"

"Ah, yes, the female factor in all this. But Ms Harper has cried wolf once too often with the insurance people. That fall girl won't be believed again. We're untouchable."

Mr Hollis didn't share the Arab's confidence. As if sensing his reluctance, Mr Rahad added, "You'll be alright. There wasn't any killing, or a hijack or anything of that sort. There'll be no kickback. No pay offs. No-one else involved." He tapped the side of his long nose conspiratorially. "Need to know," he whispered. "I'll just stopover at your place for the night. Then, when the heat cools off ..."

"It's a long shot and it's too risky," complained the increasingly nervous Hollis. "I don't want any involvement; no backtrack; nothing traced back to me. No wild justice from your rogue klansmen as I get hunted down and put on the rack."

"Relax, Mr Hollis. I'm not a fugitive - yet. You'll be alright," he repeated.

"There'll be a stirring of dust if this gets out and a dead reckoning at some point, I'm sure."

The Arab shook his handsome head. "I'll take away these little 'acorns' tomorrow and no-one need know."

As he turned to go, Mr Hollis took his conspirator's arm to detain him. "You're going to do a runner, aren't you? I took risks, too."

Before he had time to respond, the front door burst open and two armed men crashed in.

"We'll take these," the taller one said, snatching the gems from the Arab's hand. Rahad didn't have a chance to reach for the gun nestling in his pocket as the curly headed man of this mixed double act had a gun trained on his head and he didn't seem averse to using it if Mr Rahad made any sudden move.

Mr Hollis was so shocked at this sudden turn of events he had a blackout and didn't see the tall man rubbing the rocks merrily in his large hands.

"I guess we left no stone unturned on this one, mate."

Doyle grinned happily. Mr Rahad had a lot of explaining to do at his Embassy. He was a man without a past (or not one he would admit to). Now he was also a man without a future. He was on a hiding to nothing there.


End file.
